Sheikh Zayed Tunnel, Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Tunnel, opened in 2012, the providing saving 60% of the consumption
winner of the Global Road Achievement and providing a safe environment for
Awards (GRAA) 2014, organized by the drivers.
International Road Federation (IRF), as The tunnel is equipped with a voice
well as the Grand Prize of the American guidance system, which is used in
Council
of
American
Engineering emergency and evacuation. It is also
Companies in Washington, the largest equipped with backup sources of electric
honor granted by the American Council power. It is operated automatically if the
to the significant and mega-projects, power distribution is disconnected from
is the longest tunnel in the Middle East, the tunnel, to ensure the continuity of all
with a length of 6.3 km, of which 4.2 km the systems in the tunnel. The tunnel is also
is paved.
supplied with variable electronic panels
The construction of the tunnel took about which instruct drivers and give them
32 million hours of continuous work, until information about the road condition
the tunnel entered the service.
moment by moment.
The importance of the Sheikh Zayed Sheikh Zayed Tunnel is equipped with
Tunnel in Abu Dhabi is that it connects the latest surveillance systems adopted
the heart of the UAE capital with its by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi in
various vital areas, and provides great the construction of the tunnel, which is
traffic facilities for those coming to Abu known as Scada, the latest technology in
Dhabi from Al Ain and Dubai.
monitoring, control and data collection,
In a survey of tunnel users from the and the most sophisticated systems in the
drivers, they reported that the tunnel world, as well as surveillance cameras
contributed to reducing travel times and that cover the tunnel by 100%.
saving time by 70% to 80%.
In addition to the other technologies used
The tunnel consists of eight round-trip in the tunnel, Abu Dhabi Municipality
lanes for vehicles and contains twenty has installed a water pump system that
electronic traffic screens, which are pulls water from the tunnel into Abu
being used for the first time in the Dhabi's main water network. The tunnel
emirate, where Abu Dhabi Municipality contains a network of pipes for rainwater
has developed and designed electronic drainage and water from cleaning and
traffic systems to ensure safe and efficient emergency operations inside the tunnel
navigation within timetables.
and all connected to these pumps.
Lighting in the tunnel is based on the Sheikh Zayed Road Tunnel also has a
latest technologies and systems in the fire detection, control and extinguishing
world's most advanced lighting systems, system that detects fires within the
WTC - Dubai 2018
22

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